DHS Shuts Down the Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) — Independent Watchdog Created by Congress in 2019 NDAA

The Department of Homeland Security shut down the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) on May 5, 2026 — the independent office responsible for investigating misconduct and abuse in ICE detention facilities. DHS claimed Congress had defunded OIDO through an appropriations bill ending the 76-day government shutdown, but legal experts including the Congressional Research Service and immigration law scholars challenged that assertion, stating the appropriations law contains no language repealing the OIDO, which was established by Congress in Section 905 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The OIDO was created precisely because Congress determined that DHS could not effectively investigate itself — its mandate was to receive and investigate complaints from detainees, provide confidential assistance, and report directly to Congress and the Secretary. Its closure removes the sole dedicated independent oversight mechanism for a detention system that has recorded 30+ deaths in FY2026 — a record pace. The move was reported by UPI, The Hill, HuffPost, and ABC News. Detention Watch Network called the closure 'proof that no one is safe under ICE' and said it 'proves once again that there is no accountability in the immigration detention system.' Civil rights organizations noted the timing: OIDO was shut down just one day after the Washington Post investigation revealed ICE guards using chemical agents on civil detainees, and as the FY2026 death toll continues to mount.